Garden of Tears
by Phoenix Torte
Summary: Kyouko has a movie to work on, where she gets to be the rich young lady that she has always dreamed of being! However, there's a fly in the ointment...her costars are Tsuruga Ren, and Fuwa Sho! Survey saaays...there's a love triangle in the works!NEW CHAP
1. Opening

**Ahem…yes…my first fan fiction! I've written other fiction before, but not for my favorite series. I'm kind of glad, as I tend to fantasize about my favorite series, like what Kyouko should do to Sho, if there aren't any bodyguards around to stop her. Mwah, ha, ha…**

**Anyways, please don't flame me, I'm too young to be roasted! Although this story is not finished yet, it takes place in the period before Kyouko meets Kuu, and right up to before she meets Kuu, although she doesn't meet him in this story. **

**Anyway…Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat!, nor am I associated with any of it's affiliates, such as Hana to Yume magazine, or ShojoBeat publishers. All characters within are created and presumably owned by Nakamura Yoshiki-sensei. I humbly beg pardon for any mistakes that may be made by me.**

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_Garden of Tears_

_Story by PhoenixTorte_

Kyouko walked cheerfully into the LME talento offices. She had gotten the day off to a good start, with school being a breeze, and the okami-san giving her a cake to take with her for lunch. Humming happily, she went up to Sawara-san. Since she wasn't working on any acting projects, she had just been doing Love-Me work.

Sawara-san looked up as she approached his desk in the busy office. His face lit up with excitement. "Guess what, Kyouko-san!" he exclaimed. "You have another offer, for a movie!"

"Really?" Kyouko asked, perking up even more.

"Yes, and it's a story I think you'll like!" Sawara said. "You play a young girl from a rich, traditional family who is engaged to be married to a young man that her parents picked out. However, the girl falls in love with another man, who fights over her against the fiancé. It has a tragic ending though…"

"Ohhhhh!" Kyouko exclaimed, her eyes wide and shining. "I finally get to play a 'rich young lady'!" Upon seeing the look on her face, Sawara wondered what fantasies were going through her head. He could almost see a scene of a young, rich looking young lady, laughing and surrounded by all sorts of rich looking furniture…

"So, shall I accept the offer for you?" Sawara asked.

"Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!" Kyouko yelled with jubilation. Whirling and skipping, she danced her way out of the office. 'Oh, finally,' she was thinking. 'I hope I can do a great job so that I can get more cool roles like this!"

Meanwhile, back in the office, Sawara picked up the phone and dialed the director of _Garden of Tears_, the drama that Kyouko had agreed to. "Hello, this is Sawara of LME. Your proposal was presented to Kyouko-san, and she agreed…yes, I'll be waiting for a copy of the script…I'm sure she's looking forward to it…Oh, I forgot to tell her that Fuwa Sho and Tsuruga Ren were going to be in it…I'm sure it's fine…"

**Meanwhile…**

Ren leafed through the new script that he had to learn. This one was a love story as well, and he was hoping to do as well as when he worked on _Dark Moon_. He had heard that all the actors hadn't been contacted yet, so he hoped that the female lead was one that he could act well with, a professional who wouldn't hang all over him. He hated how he was forced to be polite to the girls that threw themselves at him, and though he had to be nice, he was often annoyed. But he couldn't show his true self, or let anyone see anything but "Tsuruga Ren". Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad, but he despised being interrupted at work. Only one girl in the business didn't irk him so, because she treated him like she did everyone else. 'If only she was working on this project with me.' he thought. 'I wouldn't mind kissing her…no, get a hold of yourself. A relationship with 'her' is totally inappropriate.'

"Hey."

Ren looked up. It took all his guts as a professional not to slug the smug young man in front of him. Closing his script with a snap, he smiled a gentlemanly smile. "Yes, how can I help you, Fuwa-san?"

"Guess who the female lead is?" Sho asked a smirk on his face.

"Why?" Ren asked, suspicious about Fuwa's motives.

"It's Kyoukooooo-chan…" Sho said, dragging out her name. "You really like her, don't you? I can tell by the way you act, and how you look at her." Fuwa leaned in closer, an evil grin on his face. "But I really hate you. And Kyouko still belongs to me, and she always will. So I'm afraid that I'm going to have to steal her from you."

Still smiling his gentleman's smile, Ren replied, "Mogami-san is her own person, and can do what she wants. However, if you are hoping to get back with her, you may be out of luck. In case you haven't realized she really hates you now…"Ren shifted in his seat so that he was leaning forward in his seat a little, his smile replaced with a truly scary glare. "…so, do your worst, newcomer. I'll use my acting to completely crush you, and help Mogami-san get her revenge on you."

Sho involuntarily backed up from Ren's glare. "If it's a challenge you want, it's a challenge you'll get," he said. "I've been working on my acting, and I'll use it to get Kyouko-chan back. Wait and see…"

**Back at LME…**

As she headed past the receptionists' desks, Kyouko was assaulted by a barrage of sneezes. 'Someone must be talking about me,' she thought.

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_Note: In Japan, the superstition is that a sneeze means someone is talking about you. _

_Honorifics:_

_**-san**__- the equivalent to Mrs/Mr/Ms._

_**-chan**__-familiar honorific, used with those that you are closer to. Usually when referring to girls, or a cutesy term between lovers. _

_**-sempai**__-(not used yet) used with someone senior to you, or an upperclassman, in a school or business setting. _

_**chichi-ue-**honored father_

_**kawaii**-cute_

_**gomen nasai**-excuse me, sorry_

_**teme-**a rude word, a very rude way to address someone that is not mentioned here because it's only got a K rating._


	2. Reunion

**Thanks for all the nice reviews! Sirena-Lune's right, though, Ren-chan is a little too OoC, and I'll go and edit chapter one soon. I hope this one is a little more on target, as I went and reread the entire series to prepare. Anyway, sorry for the long wait. I got a little busy with college. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat!, nor am I associated with any of it's affiliates, such as Hana to Yume magazine, or ShojoBeat publishers. All characters within are created and presumably owned by Nakamura Yoshiki-sensei. I humbly beg pardon for any mistakes that may be made by me.**

_Garden of Tears_

_Reunion_

Kyouko skipped a little when she got to the set. Her brain had already hit maximum lala land, and she was daydreaming about the character that she was slated to play. Just like she had hoped, the girl was a sweet, rich young lady, troubled only by the problems of romance. The ending of the script was a little sad, but she already knew all her lines. Which was a good thing, what with the first day of shooting being today. She had also met the director, but she hadn't really had a chance to meet her coworkers, and she was interested in seeing who her love interests were. '_I hope it's not someone rude and arrogant, like a certain singer I know_…' she thought, as a slight dark mood descended upon her happy, fluffy thoughts.

"Eh, whatever," she said out loud. The young assistant who had been leading her to the set started.

"What?" the young woman asked.

"Oh, nothing," Kyouko replied, with a practice sales' person smile. The girl seemed to accept that. Although she obviously wondered about Kyouko's sanity.

"I'm going to go and get the director…" she said to Kyouko. Bowing a little, she turned and strode away.

Kyouko stood there a few moments, temporarily abandoned. Bemused she wondered what to do. '_I wonder if it would be okay to work on my curse dolls here…Moko is always a little freaked out when I do it around her, now that she knows how much I hate Sho…'_ As she thought about it, her inner demons started to swirl, attracted to the aura of hate that she gave off.

"You're thinking about _him_, aren't you."

Kyouko jumped at the sound of the smooth, slightly irritated voice behind her. Spinning around, she saw Tsuruga Ren standing behind her. Although he wasn't doing anything in particular to be scary, she could tell that he was a little ticked off. "Gomen nasaiiiiiii!" she wailed out of reflex.

To her surprise and happiness, Tsuruga cracked a small smile. Not a lying gentlemanly smile either, but a small genuine one of amusement. Kyouko relaxed at little at seeing it, though she couldn't say, if asked, why she had apologized in the first place or what had made Tsuruga-san mad.

"What are you doing here, Tsuruga-san?" She asked, as it occurred to her that it was unusual that he was on the set of _Garden of Tears _ with her.

"I got the part of Shiroyume Akira in this movie," he replied, gazing steadily into her eyes.

Kyouko found herself blushing a little. Shiroyume Akira was the man in the drama that stole her character away from her intended fiancé, Otome Yuki. "It's wonderful to work with you again, sempai." She said. "We haven't worked together since Dark Moon, and it will be wonderful to see you in action again. Let's do a good job, okay?"

Ren smiled at her, thinking to himself, '_Yes, we're going to work together, and I'm going to steal your heart away from that man, just like in the movie_…'

Kyouko felt a smile shiver go down her spine at the small, secretive smile on Tsuruga's face. '_I hope he doesn't plan to bully me…'_ she thought to herself. Then her composure was shattered as she caught sight of the one person that she hated most in the entire world. A horrified look appeared on her face.

"Yo, what's up?" Fuwa Sho said, as he looked at the girl he had dragged to Tokyo with him on a whim.

"You-you-I-what-?" Kyouko tried to get out the words, in at least a dignified manner. Ren supplied helpfully, "Fuwa is playing Otome Yuki in this. Same old story about a singer trying to break into acting."

"This jerk is the one I'm supposed to marry?!"

Sho bristled. "Like that's so thrilling for me either."

What's that supposed to mean," Kyouko screeched.

"If I wanted to marry a plain, boring girl, I would have stayed home!"

"Teme!" Kyouko yelled.

Ren leaned over to Kyouko, wrapping his arms around her intimately from behind. "What do you mean, plain? I think that she is totally sexy."

"What?" Kyouko choked out, completely shocked. Just then, though, they were interrupted by the director. Ren untangled himself from her and the director, an older, white haired man started to speak in delightfully feminine tones.

"Okay, darlings, come and get into costume. We start shooting in an hour. I take it you are all ready, and know your lines?" Without waiting for an answer he continued. "Now scurry and get ready!"

Sho stalked off, fuming that Kyouko hadn't told that Tsuruga bastard off. Kyouko stayed behind, staring at Ren. "Wha…?"

"You see, you hate that guy, right?"

Kyouko agreed readily.

"So," Ren suggested, "Just pretend that you are going out with me, during the shoot. You can think of it as an acting job if you like."

Kyouko eyed him dubiously. "I thought you didn't use acting for revenge, and didn't like stuff like that."

"It would help me out if you did it." Ren pleaded, pumping up the puppy dog eyes times two.

"Well…I guess," Kyouko agreed. "I do want to get revenge on him, and if you think it would help…though Sho probably wouldn't get jealous over me…" She wondered in her mind what acting like his girlfriend would do to help him. '_Maybe he has a crazy stalker girl after him, and doesn't want me to worry.'_ she thought. _'Yeah, that must be it.'_

"It's agreed then!" Ren walked off before Kyouko could disagree. Even if she thought it was acting, he would win her over to his side.

'_She won't be able to think of me as a friend anymore.'_


	3. First Act

**Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat!, nor am I associated with any of it's affiliates, such as Hana to Yume magazine, or ShojoBeat publishers. All characters within are created and presumably owned by Nakamura Yoshiki-sensei. I humbly beg pardon for any mistakes that may be made by me.**

Shiroyume Akira-Played by Tsuruga Ren

Otome Yuki-Played by Fuwa Shotaro

Yamaguchi Kuroko-Played by Mogami Kyoko

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First Act 

_By PhoenixTorte_

_Yamaguchi Shin put his teacup back on the table and sat back on his cushion. He looked up into the eyes of the young man sitting across from him. "It is agreed," he pronounced. "As upon the contract with your grandfather, you shall marry my daughter, Kuroko-chan."_

_The young man across from him smiled warmly. "It would be my pleasure to marry Yamaguchi Kuroko, and I hope that I can be a good son to you." Otome Yuki bowed respectfully. _

"_You agree as well, then, Kuroko?" her father turned and looked at her. Kuroko, her face carefully blank, nodded carefully. _

"_Of course, any match that you approve is acceptable, otou-san," she said. "I would be glad to be the wife of Otom-otome-ot…"_

"Gyaaaa!"

Kyouko jumped to her feet, hands to her head. "Why do I have to say that I'll be that fool's wife?! Kyaa, I can't take it! Why this idiot of all people?" As she let off steam, her demons began to swarm in full force.

"Kyouko."

Kyouko froze in her ranting.

"That's a really weird face for a girl to be having. Don't you think?" Kyouko slowly turned to see that Tsuruga-san was beaming a full-force gentlemanly smile at her. The demons swirling around her had no choice but to shrivel and retreat before that deceptive smile. _'Eek.'_ She thought. _'Tsuruga-san's mad now!' _Contrite now, she bowed low in apology.

"Goomeeen nasaiiii!" she wailed. Despite himself, Tsuruga felt a stirring of amusement at Kyouko's predictable reaction. No matter what, if she knew that she was wrong, she would always apologize in an amusing, extreme way.

"That's alright. Just do your best to act professionally." Tsuruga nodded, and then went back to the sidelines where he had been watching her. Although he said that she should act professionally, he felt a little glad that Kyouko still hadn't forgiven Sho. Then again, at the same time he was a little peeved that she could get so worked up over someone that was supposed to be her ex. Ren did his best to force down the stirring of jealousy that had sprouted in his chest. It was hard. He loved Kyouko so much.

Oblivious to Ren's inner musings, Kyouko nodded. "I'll do my best!" she proclaimed. Taking a deep breath, she began to formulate a plan to make it seem as though she didn't hate Sho, but instead get into her character. Though the girl that she was playing didn't especially care for getting married to someone that she didn't know, she certainly didn't hate or dislike Otome Yuki-she just didn't know him, and felt a sense of apathy for him.

"Well, then!" the director said, coming up behind them. "Shall we do it over from the top? Places, my darlings!"

_Yamaguchi Shin put his teacup back on the table and sat back on his cushion. He looked up into the eyes of the young man sitting across from him. "It is agreed," he pronounced. "As upon the contract with your grandfather, you shall marry my daughter, Kuroko-chan."_

_The young man across from him smiled warmly. "It would be my pleasure to marry Yamaguchi Kuroko, and I hope that I can be a good son to you." Otome Yuki bowed respectfully. _

"_You agree as well, then, Kuroko?" her father turned and looked at her. Kuroko, her face carefully blank, nodded carefully. _

"_Of course, any match that you approve is acceptable, otou-san," she said. "I would be glad to be the wife of Otome-sama." Carefully and respectfully, she bowed to Yuki. Gracefully, as a Japanese woman should, she picked up the beautiful china teapot, and poured more tea into her father and Yuki's cups. Her father beamed on proudly at her grace and good manners. Otome Yuki waved a hand at the tea however, and bowing once more to Yamaguchi Shin, he excused himself, and took his leave. Father and daughter stood to see him to the door, where Yuki got into an expensive looking car, and drove away._

_Once they were alone, Shin turned to Kuroko. "Daughter," he said quietly. "I am very proud of you for honoring your grandfather's promise, though I know that it must be a shock to you. Thank you, for keeping honor in the Yamaguchi family." _

_Her face still placid, Kuroko bowed to her father. "Of course, chichi-ue," she replied. "I know my duty well." Her father nodded once, in approval, and then left. He never saw the lone tear that streaked down Kuroko's cheek, the only sign of grief she gave at the loss of freedom that would come with being the wife of a rich young man, in a rich old family. _

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Hiya, sorry this one is short, but I hope it's a little better than waiting a while for an update! I'll post more soon, promise! ;-)**


	4. A Good Dinner

**Here's the new chapter! I'm really glad, because it only took about five days. I hope y'all like the update! Let me know!**

**Disclaimer: I have absolutely nothing to do with owning Skip-Beat! although I wish to god I did.

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_A Good Dinner_

_By PhoenixTorte_

Kyouko happily accepted the bottle of water from the staff member. "Thank you for the hard work," he said cheerfully. Though he probably wouldn't have done that with anyone else, Kyouko had already shown herself to be a kind and polite young actress, and the entire staff and crew were already on good terms with her. The cast and crew were also vastly amused at her, especially when she started going on about fairies, or when she had strange emotional outbursts.

Kyouko sighed in contentment. Once again, shooting had progressed nicely. She hadn't killed Sho, and Ren didn't seem to be mad at her. She supposed that it might have had something to do with the bento that she had given him, because Ren had cheered up a lot, and Sho had gotten sulky, and went off to pout somewhere. Ren always seemed to cheer up when she did little things like that on her own. It was necessary anyway, or Ren wouldn't eat, and he would most likely get sick.

Kyouko finished getting her bag and other things, now that she was changed out of the clothes she wore for shooting. She had left the makeup on, and seeing how much Kyouko had liked the makeup and the long, wavy wig, the makeup girl had even touched up Kyouko's hair, so that it was curly and drawn back with a side bang. Kyouko couldn't help feeling like a princess, and she hummed as she walked towards the exit with a bounce in her step.

"Mogami-san!"

Kyouko started at hearing her name being called. Upon recognizing the voice, she felt a fluttering start in the pit of her stomach. Turning, she greeted the owner of the voice. "Tsuruga-sempai!" she said, with a wide smile on her face.

Tsuruga Ren smiled at the welcoming look on Kyouko's face. "Do you need a ride home?" he inquired. Kyouko immediately began to protest. Watching her flustered reactions only warmed Ren's heart even more.

"I couldn't possibly inconvenience you by making you do that, sempai," Kyouko said. "It's out of your way, isn't it?" Ren wanted to chuckle at the worried, puppy-dog look on her face, but somehow managed to hold it in.

"Nonsense," was his reply. "Besides, it would be good if we stopped for dinner right? You must be hungry."

Kyouko latched onto that as a good excuse. "Yes, that's a great idea! Sempai doesn't often eat well, so I should make sure that he has a nutritional dinner, as well!"

"Shall we go then?" Ren gestured to the exit door that they stood in front of. Kyouko smiled, and nodded agreeably. Together they stepped to the door, and Ren, always the perfect gentleman, held the door for her. Kyouko steeped through rather quickly, running into someone just outside the door.

"Sorry!!!" she exclaimed. Looking up, she saw that she had run into the one person that she hated most in the entire world. Sho looked down at her, a familiar smirk on his face.

"You should really watch where you're going," he said. "Where are you going in such a hurry, anyway?" Ren stepped out of the building behind Kyouko. Seeing his chance to make Sho jealous, he seized it.

"Kyouko and I are going out to dinner," he said. Smiling his friendly best, he laid his hand possessively on Kyouko's shoulder. Kyouko smiled at little, finding little amiss about his words, though she detected a slight underlying tension beneath his words. Seeing that little smile though, Sho was thrown into a jealous rage.

"Well, then, I should go with you, as well, as your coworker," he suggested, folding his arms.

"Denied."

Ren and Kyouko spoke at the same time. Ignoring Sho now, Kyouko flounced away with a dark glower on her face. Ren gave a polite, constrained nod to Sho, and turned to follow Kyouko, as Sho watched them get into Ren's car, he was thrown into action. He ran to his car, where his manager, Shoko was waiting to drive him home. "Follow that car," he said, pointing to the car that was leaving the lot. Confused, Shoko put the car into gear, and began following them. She was a little worried, especially since Sho had started ranting to himself, and the only words that she caught were 'damn him', 'mine!' and 'we'll see…'

Kyouko and Ren pulled into a small family restaurant that specialized in traditional, homey Japanese food. Before they got out of the car however, Ren reached over and covered Kyouko's hand with his own.

"Mogami-san, you realize that Fuwa followed us here, right?"

"What?" Kyouko made as if to look around.

"Don't!" Ren told her. "Look, you remember that plan we had?"

Kyouko tapped her fist into the palm of her hand. "Wow, I forgot about that!" She blushed. "You mean where we pretend to be lovers?"

Ren nodded. "Most likely that guy is going to follow us into the restaurant. Shall we give him a show, and act like a pair of lovers on a date?"

Kyouko turned even redder, and began to sputter when she talked. "B-but...there's a slight problem…y-you see…" Ren watched her with concern as she struggled to get the words out.

"I've never been on a date!"

Relieved at getting the words out, Kyouko pressed a hand to her heart, her heart thumping in her chest in the classic _dokidoki_ type of way. Ren leaned in closer, knowing that to an outside observer it looked as though he were whispering sweet nothings into the ear of the girl next to him. "Don't worry," he said reassuringly. "You've seen couples on dates, right? Just act like that, but naturally and like yourself." He couldn't help feeling a twinge of pleasure/guilt. Part of him wanted to see her acting lovey dovey over him, but the other part felt guilty at having to trick her into it. Plus, he would rather have her being romantic because she wanted to, and because she liked him. Ah, well. That would come with time.

Ren got out of the car and went around, opening the door for Kyouko. When Shoko saw who was in the car, a lot of things made sense to her. After the two had disappeared into the restaurant, Sho got out of the car. Shoko remained sitting until Sho leaned down and looked into the window. "Well, are you coming?" he asked. "I need a good reason for being at this restaurant, at this time."

Shoko smiled wryly to herself. _'Boy, you sure are worried about Kyouko, when you guys supposedly broke up'_ She got out of the car, anyhow, and followed him inside the restaurant.

Inside, the hostess greeted Ren and Kyouko. She showed them to a table in the back, and left them to choose from the menu. Jumping right into his role, Ren started talking.

"Kyouko-chan…" Kyouko started a little at being addressed this way by her sempai, but quickly suppressed the surprise. "You look so beautiful today…though, of course, you always look wonderful." Sho glared at Ren, as he had come in just at that line. He was just in time to see the beguiling blush that appeared on Kyouko's cheeks.

"Sempai…" Kyouko started to say, in a soft, flustered voice.

"Shh," Ren said, reaching across the table to trace the line of her cheek with his finger. "Please, call me Ren. It hurts me, when I don't hear my name from your lips."

Kyouko raised her limpid eyes to Ren's. "Ren-kun..." Kyouko was barely able to speak from the tingling pleasure where Ren had touched her. "Don't be silly. I'm not beautiful."

Ren stared ardently into her eyes. "You are so beautiful," he replied. "So lovely and wonderful that it makes my heart ache. Ever time I look into your eyes, I love you more. There is no one more perfect than you." Kyouko's heart rose into her throat. She didn't know what to say to this. All thoughts of Sho had vanished, leaving only her heart throbbing in her chest. She scrambled for words to reply to Ren's ardent love confession. Luckily, she was saved by the returning waitress.

'_Whew,'_ she thought. _'I have to be careful. No wonder so many women fall in love with Ren when he's acting.'_ Little did she know, however, that it wasn't an act…

Sho wrung his napkin in his hands. "How dare he say stuff like that to my Kyouko!" he barely kept his voice down as he ranted. "She's mine, dammit!"

Kyouko, having composed herself, brought herself to look at Ren again. Luckily, they passed the conversation into lighter, flirtier topics until Ren's yakiniku and Kyouko's tempura came. "That looks really good," Ren said, of her lightly fried, golden pieces of chicken.

"Oh?" Kyouko asked. Teasingly, she picked up a piece, and offered it to him. "Try some," she encouraged. Ren opened his mouth, and Kyouko delicately placed the meat on his tongue, blushing as she realized that she was doing an embarrassing, romantic type of thing. At the next table, Sho had his head down as one fist pounded on the table. "S-sir?" one of the waitresses told him hesitantly. "Please don't pound on the tables."

The rest of the meal passed uneventfully, with Kyouko spending most of the time in a blush, and Ren did everything he could to ensure that she was. When it was time to leave, Ren paid the bill and they went back to his car. Sho, in a horrible mood, followed them, leaving Shoko to pay the bill. She hurriedly did, and then rushed back outside, where they followed Ren's car. Shoko wished that Sho would stop muttering to himself however. She was starting to get a headache at his childish antics.

However, his childish antics only got worse as Ren and Kyouko arrived at Ren's apartment. Arm in arm, they got out and went inside. Sho's eye's narrowed, as he wondered what they were up to inside the apartment…

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**What do you think? Is this a cliff hanger or what? Let me know what you guys think should happen...I'll take it into consideration writing the next chapter. **


	5. Private Rehearsal

**Sorry, another short chapter. I've been a little busy lately, and it's hard to update. But I will persevere! Gambatte! **

**Anyway, this one's a little juicy...hope you like!**

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_Private Rehearsal_

_By PhoenixTorte_

Kyouko stretched lazily, arching her back much like a satisfied cat. Extremely content, she settled back into the soft mattress of the huge western style bed. _'Wait, a western style bed?'_ Her eyes popped open as she remembered just where she was. Unfortunately, it was a shock to see Tsuruga Ren's sleeping face opposite of hers. Well, maybe not unfortunate for any of the other girls on the planet, but Kyouko's demons started to shrivel at the heavenly innocence on Ren's face.

Feeling her move around, Ren opened his eyes to see that Kyouko was plastered against the wall, looking at him like a deer caught in the headlights. "Look," she said. "I know that I didn't go to bed in the same bed as you last night…how did I get from the couch to here?" Ren propped himself up on his elbows. His body made a long, sensuous line so that he looked rather like a lazy panther relaxing in his habitat.

"Easy," he replied. "You got up in the middle of the night and joined me here."

"What?!" Kyouko shrieked.

"I wouldn't lie to you." Ren said, putting on his best, 'I'm-shocked-and-hurt-that-you-don't-believe-me' face. Now that Kyouko was fully awake, the last night came back in vivid detail…

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Last night, after Ren and Kyouko arrived at Ren's apartment._

Ren, like any good gentleman, held the door open for Kyouko. Kyouko breathed a sigh of relief as she entered the apartment. "Boy, it's embarrassing to act like that in public."

Ren felt a prickle of embarrassment that she found how he acted towards her an embarrassment. He had meant every word after all. "Of course…" he agreed, like an academy award winning gentleman's smile. Kyouko didn't like that smile. To her heightened senses, it was clear as day that Ren was getting mad at her, though she couldn't tell what it was.

"Ano…maybe I should leave?" Kyouko looked at the door as though she was seriously considering it.

"No," Ren protested quickly. "If you leave this quick, Fuwa will get suspicious. It's best if you stay a little while, or even…all night." He looked away, peering sideways at Kyouko through his eyelashes. Luckily, she just looked thoughtful at his suggestion.

"You might be right. That would be the best way to stroke Shotaro's suspicions and make him jealous…and it's not like I've never stayed the night at your house before (when you were sick)," Kyouko tapped her loose fist into the palm of her hand. "Okay, we'll do that!"

Ren looked away, a dark shadow on his face. _'Always thinking about that guy, huh'_. Kyouko whirled across the room, thinking so happily about revenge on Sho that she didn't notice the weird look on Ren's face.

"Anyway, what should we do until then," Kyouko said, changing the subject. "It's kind of early to just go to bed. Oh, maybe…" she trailed off into silence.

"What?" Ren asked her, curious about what she was thinking. She turned to him, her eyes shining brightly.

"Let's rehearse our lines for _Garden of Tears_! It'll be awesome to get some rehearsal time in, and perhaps…sempai can help me with my acting?" She gazed at Ren, her face as innocent, sweet, and begging as a puppy's. Ren felt his heart melting. Before he could change his mind, he nodded his assent.

"Sugoi!" Kyouko whipped a script out of her purse. "Which scene should we do?" Ren leaned over her shoulder, looking at the script that she was leafing through.

"How about we…" Kyouko blushed as she heard what scene he wanted to practice. Despite her blushes, she reminded herself that it was only a play, after all…and nodded her agreement.

"_Akira-san…we can't do this…" Kuroko gasped as Akira pulled her into a heated embrace. Her clothes rumpled as the leaves from the bush they were behind rustled. Fragrance from the flowers of her father's garden drifted over them. _

"_Why not?" Shiroyume Akira looked deep into Kuroko's bright eyes, shining with unshed tears._

"_It's wrong…we'll be defying my father's will…he wants me to marry Otome-san…"_

"_What's so wrong about the way we feel for each other? Is it a sin to love…to want to be together? Isn't it far worse to deny your feelings, and marry someone that you have no love for? What sort of happiness will you find in that?"_

_Kuroko looked away, her heart heavy with the words she must say, the things she must do…the love she must refuse. "Please…" the proud heiress said, begging for the first time in her life, begging to the forgiveness she needed from this fierce, bumbling, beautiful man that she had lost her heart to. _

_Akira looked away, the pain at her rejection evident on his face. He knew how much it cost her to beg him like that. But he knew that it would cost them both even more if he gave up on her. Tenderly, he kissed her on the lips. Kuroko pinked as the kiss deepened, became more passionate. By the time he stopped, her legs were weak and trembling so that she could barely hold herself up. "Please…" she said again. "Please…go."_

_Akira released her so suddenly that she nearly stumbled and fell. He turned away, stumbling away from Kuroko, out of the garden._ _As he stormed off, Kuroko began to weep, to weep over what she had lost. But she didn't see the bleak look on Akira's face slowly turn into one of fierce determination. _

'Kuroko will be mine.' _Akira vowed to himself. _'I won't let anyone else have her!'

_In a jealous rage, Akira got into his car. He drove off, heading for Otome Yuki's house. Only one of them could have Kuroko, and it wasn't going to be Otome Yuki…not it Akira could help it. _

Kyouko pulled herself together, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Darn, my eyes are going to be puffy tomorrow." Forcing her breathing to slow, she forced herself back out of character. It was hard though. The way that Ren had looked at her…had held her…as Akira had her heart beating so hard that she could barely breathe. Ren smiled a secretive little smile at the dazed look on her face. He had actually started to leave to go after Fuwa, but had pulled himself together before he had acted out the rest of the script. Going into his kitchen, he pulled out some tea bags. Soaking them in water, he brought them back out into the living room.

"Here, put these on your eyes. It'll help keep them from puffing." Kyouko accepted the teabags gratefully, and lay back on the couch so that she could put them on. She was exhausted however, from the long day and the draining scene she had just portrayed. She fell asleep in seconds, barely beating her previous record. Ren watched her, amused. Getting an extra blanket, he gently covered Kyouko so that she wouldn't get cold, and removed the tea bags from her eyes. Going to his own room, he prepared for bed. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to sleep at all. He couldn't keep that kiss out of his mind…finally, an hour after he had went to bed, he was able to fall asleep.

Back in the living room, Kyouko tossed on the couch. In her dream, she felt Ren's lips warmly covering hers again…

_

* * *

Morning, present time._

"Hmm," Kyouko muttered suspiciously. "I don't remember…"

"Maybe you were sleepwalking." Ren suggested. He brushed his collar casually with one hand and smirked. "Thinking about me, eh?" He watched with great amusement at Kyouko got flustered.

"As if!" Kyouko flounced away, slamming into the bathroom. "I'm getting a shower," she called out to Ren. "Don't come in!"

"As if I would," Ren called back, chuckling at all the angry rants that floated past the bathroom door. As he did, he got lost in the memory of how, in the middle of the night, he had felt a slim body climbing into bed with him. Of how that warm body had curled up next to him like a little kitten, burrowing under the warm comforter. Kyouko had fallen asleep like that, and Ren had enjoyed it rather a lot, until he sensed that Kyouko was about to awaken, and moved away. His heart was still glowing from her last words before she had lapsed back into sleep…

"Kuon…"

* * *

**By the way, some of you may have noticed, but the names in the play are no coincidence. They all have something to do with colors. **

**Yuki (snow)**

**Shiroyume (white dream)**

**Kuroko (black child)**

**The other parts of their names are just coincidence, but these are because I thought like this...**

**The two men are like pure-hearted love love princes who love the torn black princess! Plus, in real life, Kyouko strikes me as someone who has a black stain on her heart from doomed love. But now you know!**


	6. Crescendo

**Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat!, nor am I associated with any of it's affiliates, such as Hana to Yume magazine, or ShojoBeat publishers. All characters within are created and presumably owned by Nakamura Yoshiki-sensei. I humbly beg pardon for any mistakes that may be made by me.**

_Sorry for the delay, and you guys gave me such nice reviews too! I got behind because I had finals for college, and got out of the groove, you could say, and couldn't write anything more for a while. I only have a light class load during the summer, though, so I'll try to be more up-to date!_

* * *

_Crescendo_

_By PhoenixTorte_

Sho angrily kicked a trash can, sending it flying almost halfway down the hallway. Crossing his arms, he plopped onto a nearby bench. The hall only had a few people passing through it, being in an area of LME that got less traffic.

"Damn, damn, damn!!" he exclaimed out loud. Fuming, he muttered under his breath so that nearby onlookers were afraid to even glance his way. "Kyouko…with _him_…all night…what are you jerks looking at?!" The innocent onlookers quickly scattered.

"Aren't you being a little harsh?" Shoko asked as she handed Sho's coffee to him. "Your popularity is based on you being cool, after all, not highly emotional and crazy."

"I knoooow…" Sho moaned. "But when I think of that slimy jerk…and I have to see him today for the filming…"

Shoko chuckled a little to herself. _'I can't believe he's still so childish, acting all jealous over a girl that he threw away…'_ She cleared her throat a little. "Anyway, Sho, if you don't hurry, you'll be late for that interview, and after that's the filming for _Garden of Tears_. Try to be a little professional about it, okay?"

Sho sighed. "I guess there's no help for it. I have a reputation to uphold, after all." Getting up from the bench he had flung himself huffily upon earlier, he headed for the exit of LME. If Kyouko thought she was going to take up with that prissy actor Tsuruga, she had another thing coming. It was alright though. He would set her straight tomorrow.

* * *

Kyouko stared at herself in the mirror. The last day of filming was tomorrow, and the day after filming they were going to do interviews on TV with a well known personality. A lot of people were going to watch, and Kyouko didn't want to be shown at her worst. However, for the life of her, she couldn't figure out how to put on her makeup.

She picked up a tube of lipstick. It read, "Blushing Virgin", and was a pale pink in color. Her face twisted in concentration, she began to apply the glossy color.

Since she was so absorbed in applying her lipstick, she jumped when she heard the pounding on the door. Quickly wiping the lipstick that got on her cheek when her hand jerked, she rose to answer the door to her small room in the Darumaya household. She was rather surprised at the sight that greeted her.

Sho, panting with anger, was glaring at her. Behind him, the okami-san of the darumaya was wringing her hands in worry. "I told him not to disturb you, but this young man has no manners," the middle aged woman explained, her concern etched on her face.

"Don't worry, okami-san," Kyouko assured her. "This guy just lacks all human virtues, that's all."

"And I suppose that Tsuruga Ren has the virtues that I lack," Sho said, his voice low and dangerous. The okami-san decided to leave the two alone, but didn't go too far. She and her husband waited just out of earshot so that they could come to Kyouko's aid if the insolent pup tried to hurt her.

"Oh," Kyouko said. "Are you jealous of Tsuruga-san, Sho?" Sho calmed a little, hearing her address him more familiarly than her rival.

"Of course not. How can I be, when there's no way that a guy like him would go after such a woman lacking in sexiness?" Sho taunted, trying to make her angry. It worked. Kyouko's chest heaved as she tried to think up an appropriate comeback.

"I may be lacking in sexiness, but Tsuruga-san's a better man than you'll ever be, and way cooler too." She replied, realizing last second that somehow she still put herself down with that comment. Her face flushed becomingly with that realization.

"Apparently," Sho retorted. "I know that you spent the night with him only a few days ago. Are you that easy then? If I had known…" he reached forward, stroking a lock of hair that had fallen over her face. He leered lecherously at her, making her want to sock him. She had to fight not to give into the urge. Instead, she was able to restrain herself, and merely slapped his hand away. However, he grabbed her wrist, and pinned her to the wall. His lips came dangerously close to hers.

"You still miss me, don't you?" he asked.

"What makes you think that?" she replied, wrinkling her nose at his close proximity.

"Becaauuse…you always think about me." Kyouko flushed with indignation, spluttering her protests. "You do, don't deny it. You always are plotting your revenge against me…because you were _so_ in love with me…heh. You even got my poster on your wall."

"So?" Kyouko spat out. "I have Tsuruga-san's poster there too."

"Yeah," Sho taunted. "But mine's bigger."

"Only 'cause I hat-" she was cut off when Sho's lips covered hers. She was so stunned that she couldn't move. She had _never_ been kissed before, not even by Sho. Petrified, she only stood against the wall, frozen, when Sho moved away from her.

"Think about it," he smirked, leaving. The Darumaya couple looked anxiously up the stairs to Kyouko's room. The cat had left looking as though he had got to the cream, after all. Kyouko was stunned, not moving from where Sho had left her, only one thought running through her mind.

'_What the hell??"_

* * *

"Are you sure that this is alright, Tsuruga-san?"

The man in question only gave her a heavenly smile, one that seemed less blinding the more time she spent with him. "Of course. We must seem to be a couple, after all. Arriving together is a perfect way to make it seem that way."

Kyouko blushed. "Ye-es…but is it really necessary for me to hold on to your arm like this?" She glanced down to where Ren and she were joined. Smiling, Ren only patted her arm. Clearly not in the mood to argue any more, she merely looked troubled, the faint flush still on her face. Speaking of which, she seemed to be wearing a new lip color, and Ren remarked upon it.

She perked up a little. "Oh, yes! It's called 'Blushing Virgin'," she trailed off, thinking of the last time she had worn the color. Ren chuckled.

"Somehow, the title suits you." Kyouko blushed even harder.

"Don't tease me like that, Tsuruga-san!" she scolded, the tongue-lashing softened by her becoming blush. "Today's the last day of filming, what are people going to think?"

"That I care for you, very deeply," he murmured, bowing his head closer to hers. "And please, call me Ren. We're supposed to be lovers." Kyouko flushed, looking a little guilty. "What's wrong?"

"I'll tell you later, after filming," she said. Ren was a kind man; surely he'd listen to her troubles about Sho. Putting her worries to rest, she tried to think about how she would portray the character of Kuroko. She wanted her performance to be perfect today.

_Tears ran down Kuroko's face. She had just arrived at her fiancé's household. The sight that greeted her made her stomach clench in fear. Unnoticed, she watched the proceedings from the doorway of the courtyard. _

_Straining men sought to keep Akira away from the Otome heir, who was rather rumpled and bruised-and livid. "Really," the young man baited his enemy. "Did you think that by coming here you could free the girl? She'll only suffer for what you have tried to do for her."_

"_No," Akira shouted, angrily. "You won't punish an innocent girl because of me!" _

"_Won't I?" the other man said, his face set in marble. Though handsome, he was chilling in the waves of malice that radiated from him. Gesturing to another, he signaled that his katana, his long sword, be brought to him. The metal gleamed as he unsheathed it. "Now, I can't have you stealing away my bride. That would be rather troublesome." _

_Bracing himself, he prepared to drive the cold steel into the helpless man held captive by his men. _

"_No!!" A scream rent the air. Undeterred, Otome kept his sword arcing towards Akira's flesh. It was not a man's flesh that the sword entered._

_Ashen, Otome dropped his sword. "I-I didn't mean to," he said to no one in particular. The men holding Akira released him in shock, and Akira stumbled forward to catch the fainting Kuroko. The wound was deep. She would not live. _

"_Kuroko…" Tears wet her cheeks, but it was not she that shed them. The anguish in her lovers' voice broke her heart. _

"_Do not grieve for me so, my love," she whispered. "I could not bear it, for you are so precious to me." She managed to gather a smile for him, a smile that would have been lovely had it not been haunted by the specter of death. _

"_I love you; I always did, even since we were children. You mean so much to me…" Kuroko hushed him, knowing that she did not have long now. _

"_There will always be other loves, my darling. Live well for me, be a good, strong man, and live on for…" she whispered, her voice softening, fading. _

_Otome looked on, his own grief evident on his face. Though the marriage had been arranged, it had been through his request. He had loving the kind laughing-beauty that had been Yamaguchi Kuroko. When Akira began to moan, he stayed back, allowing privacy for the man she had chosen to give her heart to. When Akira gently laid her body down, Otome stepped forward._

"_I know that there is nothing that I can say," he began. "I can't bring her back; I never meant to hurt her. I give orders now that Kuroko's body is to be honorably buried." _

"_What will you do to make up for the blood that you have spilled here, in anger?" Akira's eyes were raging a silent fire in his face. Yuki responded by kneeling, placing his dagger in front of him_

"_I will atone with my life if I must." _

_Akira looked at Yuki long and hard. Finally, he came to a decision. "Put your blade away. K-Kuroko would not have wanted such a thing to come to pass."_

_Turning, he picked up his love. He would take her and tend to herself, and try to live up the promises that he had made to her as she lay dying. He would be a man that she could be proud of._

_He swore it. _

Kyouko walked out to the car with Ren. After such a difficult day of filming, she was grateful that Ren had offered her a ride home. "What was it that was bothering you earlier?" Ren asked Kyouko.

"Hmm," she started, trying to get a handle on her thoughts. "Well, Sho came to visit me yesterday."

"So," Ren asked. "Did he do something to make you upset?" He was a little annoyed that Sho had visited her, but he was sure that Kyouko wouldn't do anything like go back to the little twerp.

"Weeeeellll," she dragged the word out. "Sorta."

Ren watched her. Kyouko would tell him when she was ready, but she looked rather nervous. He decided to be patient, and hear her out. When he heard about the kiss, all thought fled his mind. The Demon Lord was seriously pissed that Sho had dared to touch _his_ Kyouko. Kyouko froze when she saw the look on Ren's face. '_Oh, craaap!!_' she thought. '_He's really mad at me now_.'

"Gomen!" She burst out. "I didn't want him too, I wouldn't have let me…" she lost track of what she was babbling when Ren leaned forward, pressing his mouth to hers.

'_Oh, my,' _she thought. _'Why is my heart beating so fast?'_ Kyouko's breath sped up. Kissing Ren was nothing at all like kissing Sho. She had been shocked at Sho, but compared to the way Ren was making her feel, she might as well have been Sho's big sister. Warmth spread through her body, and her heart beat so fast that it threatened to jump out of her body. When Ren finally released, she could only stand there in a languid daze.

Ren had to gently prod her to get in the car, and she was still affected on the whole drive home. When he opened the door for her in front of her place, she seemed to revive a little. Standing in front of the Darumaya, she asked, "What was that about, Ren-chan?"

She didn't seem to notice what she had called him, but Ren's heart warmed at hearing the familiarity. Rather than answer, he merely stroked her cheek softly with his fingers, and leaned down for another kiss. This one was gentle, sweet, unlike the fierce kiss he had given her earlier, and he nudged her to the door when it was over, watching to be sure that she got inside alright. His heart was full of the love that he hoped she would return someday.

Kyouko stood just in front of the door, listening as Ren got his car and drove away. Her face flushed, she raised a hand to her reddened lips.

What the heck was going on with Ren? This was so unusual…surely her sempai didn't like her in that way…

Right?

* * *

_Phew! That was a little bit of a juicy one! I actually wrote this one pretty quick, so please let me know if there were any errors. I hope you enjoyed!!_


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